He Stood Waiting
by Da'khari
Summary: Sam stood waiting for Mercy to arrive thinking about the events that had happened to get the to this point
1. Chapter 1

**He Stood Waiting**

 **The Unknown Event**

"Hey" he said as if he was greeting his long lost familiar love

"Hey" Heaven said back going in for a kiss

"We good?" he asked walking away with her

"Are you sure you want to come home with me you can stay if you want?" Heaven said

"I'm.." he said looking back to see everything behind him was black "What was there?" he asked

"Your life" she replied

"What and it turned out to be a black nothing?" he asked

"Yeah you can turn your back on it and come into the light with me" Heaven informed him

"You sound like poltergeist one of my favourite films come into the light there is peace and serenity in the light" he laughed as he waved his arms about

"There is" Heaven replied smiling

"But according to the film if I go into the light I'm dead" he said as he stopped walking and looked at her

"That's right but anything is better than the life you were living right?" she asked

"I wouldn't have said dead was better than alive" he said slowly coming to the realisation of where he was

"Look" Heaven said pointing to the light ahead of him "There are people waiting for you" she said as the mist cleared and he could see shapes, turning into body's and blurred turning into faces as he saw his Grandparents standing smiling at him, his Uncle Sam; who was a great inspiration to him when he was young, and Finn with others standing behind them

"Grandma" he said walking towards her to see she was crying "What's the matter Grandma" he said going in to hug her

"Don't touch me, any contact you make lessens your chances of going back" she said stepping away from him as he came closer to her "I'm sad to see you, you've had no life yet and there was so much lined up for you" she said looking at him

"Granddad?" he said looking at him for some words of encouragement

"Grandma's right son there is so much life left for you to live you need to go back" he smile "You'll enjoy it better next time, third time lucky"

"There's more good stuff the further in you go" Heaven informed him encouraging him to take that step

"Dude" Finn said flashing in front of him before he could take that next step he was being encouraged to take "You know I would never lie to you and, I know you think life is crazy lonely right now, but you'll get the courage and she'll say yes trust me she will just go back" Finn pleaded with him "It's good up here Dude I'm not going to lie, I've got my Dad but Dude if I had to choose between this and life, life wins every time" he said

"Uncle Sam" Sam said looking for some words of encouragement from him or at least a sign of what he should do next

"Everything they've said is true son and you know your parents are super worried about you right now, I know you know how that feels, just go back"

"Go back" Sam said with a heavy heart he was getting use to the feeling of freedom already and his don't care attitude was making him feel so much lighter "I don't have anything to go back for" he came out with after some consideration

"Surely you'd like to fall in love, get married, have a family all the things people want from life" he Grandma said making him look up and smile at her "You decide not to and that's our Clan finished no grandchildren no line" she said producing those sad Evans eyes he'd inherited, looking at him for the longest time

I'll bargain with you" his Uncle Sam said "If you're down there for 6 months and you don't find love we'll call you back and the choice will be yours no talking just what you say goes" he smiled looking at Heaven "Is that alright?" he asked her

"That's fine but I insist you don't help him in any way" she voiced

 **Sam**

 **He stood there smiling remembering the events that had brought him to this day, as he waited patiently**

"Damn" he'd said so many times as he'd walked back out of the café yet another day he hadn't built up the courage to ask that damn question. Sam had been going to the same café ordering the same drink for the past 4 months, in the hope that he'd get the courage to ask the one question he needed the answer to, that would hopefully make his life complete. 'Large mocha with extra cream and mellows please and an oatmeal cookie' was all he'd managed to say on the days when he finally got her attention and she was standing there serving him. Anyone else and he was full of conversation about his previous day his day ahead the weather, the news anything but dumb struck when it came to who he really needed to speak to, he'd give his order and sit in his usual seat.

He'd been doing the same thing that fateful day, walked out of the café deflated, telling himself it was never going to happen, he just didn't have the confidence to do it and god the rejection was more daunting than the actual asking what was she going to do, 'tomorrow is my day' he'd told himself as he stepped off the pavement and into the path of a car that of course took his legs from under him.

He remembered drifting in and out of consciousness hearing conversations about his serious head trauma, broken limbs, damaged something "Where am I?" he remembered asking before everything went black and he was in his world, his perfect world, everything was peaceful and it was a familiar place with familiar people and he was comfortable there for what seemed like an eternity, he just didn't know where he was.

Suddenly he was in that dark place again feeling vulnerable, his eyes wouldn't open, his mouth wouldn't speak, his body wouldn't move 'Help I'm alive' was all he could think as he moved his eyeballs frantically trying to get attention to himself.

"Okay so we don't need to move him anywhere remember Sam has multiple fractures and severe head injuries, are his next of kin here yet?" he heard someone say

"Still waiting for confirmation on that"

"So I'm in hospital now then?" his mind asked but of course no one could hear him

"Sam, Sam" he heard in his ear and wanted to say yes it's me I'm alive but nothing moved, he just moved his eyes inside his closed lids frantically

"Let him rest nurse and keep an eye on his stats every fifteen" a man said then there was silence

That became a routine for him for a while, people he didn't know talking around him, things happening to him he couldn't see and then he heard a familiar voice

"Son it's been a while now you need to wake up and come back to us because seriously we can't live without you" his Dad said

"Dad!" his mind shouted as it grabbed at the idea of his parents being there

"You've got to come back to us Sammy you're all we have in the world" his Mom cried touching his forehead with her lips

"Mom!" his mind shouted again

Hearing his parents cry was heart breaking and each day he reminded himself that if he died then three people would be dying and no way did he want to be responsible for that.

"Open your eyes" he'd tell himself so many times every day he'd lost count until one day he said it and a bright light shone in his eye "Light" he glorified in saying one second only to be brought to the poltergeist film and close his eyes again fast bringing back the darkness

"Did you see that?" his Mom asked

"What?" he heard his Dad say

"He opened his eyes, honest, he did just open his eyes"

"Sam, son, use everything you've got, and if you can, open your eyes for us mate" his Dad asked

'So I wasn't in hell then' he thought listening to the conversation 'or was that just a trick, should I try again' he thought as his Mom spoke this time

"Sam seriously, I know how your mind works and right now it's safe to let the light in" she said as his Dad laughed

'I'm going to try' he thought willing his eyes to open as they flickered for what seemed like an age before they actually opened and an eternity before they actually focused on his parents standing there "Mom" his mind shouted glad to finally see a face he knew

"Sam" his parents shouted together glad to see his eyes open, from then on it took 6 weeks for him to get it back together, with physiotherapy, regaining mental skills and speech therapy he was walking around on sticks for about 2 weeks before he got mad enough to throw them aside and get on with the task at hand himself. 2 months after the accident as Sam was still being treated with cotton gloves by his parents

 **Three Months**

"You know what I'm going to say?" he came into the kitchen asking Tuesday morning, exactly three months after the date of his accident fully dressed and ready to hit the road

"Okay if you're going out will you just humour me and let your Dad take you where you need to go" his Mom asked

"No but I will get them to call you first if anything happens" he laughed

"Sam" she said giving her angry Evans look "Stop with the cheek" she said before adding "Now; you'll let your Father take you or you'll go nowhere and, I don't give a hoot how damn old you think you are, you're my only son I nearly lost you once, and that is something that is never going to happen to us again" she finished turning back to what she was doing, and Sam knew she really wasn't joking

"You ready Dad" was all he had to say

"Give me a minute and I'll be with you" his Dad said flatly not seeming happy about being volunteered for babysitting duties, as they finally got into the car his Dad asked him "So what's the urgency where are we going?"

"I just needed to get out but now you're with me could we go back to where this all started MJ's Café on 5th" he asked

"Are you sure about this we've only just got back to normal?"

"I feel like I'm wasting time about something Dad, I don't know what it is, but I'm definitely wasting time" he said a bit agitated

"Okay but one wobble and we leave" he warned as they set off on their journey, talking about fishing, BBQ's and music as usual

"Stop Dad please stop!" Sam shouted as they neared the café "Sorry I can't do this I don't want to see it" he said as his Dad put his hand on his shoulder and assured him he didn't have to do anything he didn't want to

"Mom always knows best don't you think?" his Dad finally said as they sat in the car a block away from the café Sam staring down the road and his Dad looking at him "Son you know if you don't get past this you can't move on don't you?" he asked a still staring Sam

"Will you park the car right outside the café and then I might be able to walk in it's just the road I can't step in the road"

"Sure" his Dad said starting up the car again and driving the block to park in front of the café as Sam looked in for a while before opening the car door "Do you need me to come in with you?"

"No" he said taking a deep breath before stepping out of the car taking the four steps across the path and opening the door to the café before breathing again

"Sam hi" he heard making him spin round

"Hi" he replied not quite knowing who he was talking to

"Rachel" she said "remember me I make your orders up nearly every other morning up until the accident"

"You saw the accident?" he asked

"Yeah we all did"

"What happened?"

"Well you'd just left with your regular order and we stood watching you talking about your fine ass and then bang that car just came straight out and hit you of your feet and into the road" Kurt informed him

"Well actually you were daydreaming and stepped straight out into the road" Jessie said "But we didn't tell the police that" he smiled

"It's good to see you're alright though" Kurt piped in

"There are a lot of you here today" Sam noted

"Its shift changeover, we're just off" Rachel replied as Sam looked around

"There's someone missing" he said looking around knowing full well who was missing he just didn't want to be the one to say it and blow himself out the water

"Oh yeah TJ" Kurt added

"And Michael" Puck said "They don't work here any more they've gone off to pastures new

"Here you go" Kurt said as he set down his order on the table he was standing in front of

"Thank you" he said sitting down "But I really meant the other lady" he said putting it all out there

"No this is it everyone" Rachel said looking around "I'll join you" she said grabbing the seat in front Sam to sit down

"There was" Sam said leaning back in the chair wondering if he'd dreamt it all "Long weave, full lips and beautiful eyes, she worked here?" he asked trying to clarify in his mind

"Oh yeah she's moved on too" Puck added

"To?" Sam asked not really caring what they thought at this point

"She went to Star Fellows just after the accident she couldn't face walking past where that happened to you any more"

"What she left because of me?" he asked alarmed

"And the 7K rise she was getting as a Manager over there" Rachel said laughing

Sam sat listening to the conversation and eating the free cookies and drinks for about 50 minutes before he remembered his Dad was waiting outside for him and jumped up "Shoot I forgot my Dad's waiting for me outside sorry guys I got to go but thanks for everything and for remembering me" he smiled as the girls actually melted in front of him with no shame holding their hearts as he left. _'Sorry guys but if I find my mystery woman, you lot are out the picture'_ he smiled back at them thinking

He got back into the car and sighed as his Dad looked on "You alright Son?"

"Yeah I'm fine I just need to go round to Star Fellows" he said

"That's like six blocks away"

"Yeah I know but it's…"

"It's a trip for another day Son" his Dad finished starting the engine and taking him back home, Sam didn't like to say he felt unusually tired just then so he let his Dad's word be final and went home

"You look tired Sammy" his Mom said as soon as he walked into the kitchen "Go get some rest I'll call you for food" she smiled. As he left he heard her questioning his Dad about the trip

"He's fine, wants to go to Star Fellows for something another day I'll take him" his Dad said while his Mom went into screech mode "He's fine Rose" he heard and smiled as he shut the door to his bedroom shutting everything out and finding that much needed sleep

He woke up the next morning still a bit worse for wear, secure in the fact that he really couldn't do as much as he'd anticipated but he still had this urgency to do something "I'll rest this morning" he said as he threw the last of his breakfast down his throat "But I need to go to Star Fellows later today please Dad" he said freezing the smile on his Mother's face

 **Star Fellows**

He stood at the doorway looking through the window unable to see the person he needed to see, determined to at least find out when she'd be there as he put his hand on the door "You alright" his Dad shouted making him spin round shocked

"Yeah, yeah I'm good" he said pushing the door open and stepping in "Hi could I speak to the Manager please?" he asked the tall guy standing at the till

"Is it anything I might be able to help you with Sir?" the guy asked

"No I just need to see your Manager please"

"I'm afraid she's not in until 3.30 today Sir she's at another branch"

"Three thirty" Sam said looking at his phone "I'll wait" he said seeing there was only 70 minutes to wait

"Would you like anything while you wait Sir?"

"Large mocha with extra cream and mellows please and an oatmeal cookie" he ordered before finding a table with a view of the door and settling in

65 minutes later she walked through the door "Stand to attention" she laughed as she walked in as her team got excited at the prospect on her being on board, strange reaction to a boss Sam thought but he had bigger fish to fry as the young guy he'd spoken to earlier pointed him out and gave a brief recap of the conversation. He was still talking when she started making her way over "Hi, I know you face but I never did know your name good to see you're alright after the accident" she smiled

"Sam" he said standing up "My name's Sam, Sam Evans" he held his hand out for shaking

"I think we can do better than a handshake for the girl who rolled you out the road and gave you the kiss of life don't you?" she said going in for a hug

"I'm sorry I didn't know any of that" he said holding her in the hug "So I owe my life to you then?" he whispered in her ear before involuntarily letting her go

"Good hugs" she said smiling as she grabbed the seat opposite him "So what was it you wanted to see me about?" she asked

"Well it's kind of personal really" he said shuffling nervously in his chair "There's nothing like a near death experience to make you stand up and smell the coffee so to speak and I sure had one of those" he smiled "Well I've been coming to your place of work for a while now trying to sort of pluck the courage up to ask a question and well having my life flash before me make me realised life's too short so, I just had to find you and ask" he said looking straight into her eyes "Will you go on a date with me?" he asked holding his breath while his insides reeled, he couldn't believe he'd put himself out there like this and hey she hadn't slapped him yet "so" he heard himself say, willing he'd said that internally but he soon found out he hadn't

"I'm thinking" she said

"Thinking is good yeah?" he asked smiling at her

"Thinking is a yes maybe"

"Can a yes maybe become a yes?" he asked still smiling

"Can I trust you enough to go out with you alone?" she asked

"Only you can answer that question I'm afraid" he laughed "Sorry I didn't get your name" he stopped to say

"Mercedes, Mercedes Jones" she smiled warming his heart

"So can you trust me enough to come on a date with me Miss Mercedes Jones?"

"Date? Is that what we're calling this now, feels like Prom night to me" she laughed "It's been a while , I feel like I should be buying a five dollar dress from good will and making my own corsage from home grown flowers" she got out through her giggle "Okay" she said stopping her laugh suddenly

"So you'll go with me?" he said excitedly "You better be ready for this , it's going to be off the hook" he laughed "Is Friday 7pm alright for you?"

"Yeah fine" she said as he got up "Are you going?"

"Yeah my Dad's been waiting for me all this time" he informed her

"Okay Friday" she said as he stepped off

"Friday" he stopped to say with a smile

He giggled as he remembered getting outside the cafe and jumping so high his Dad opened the car door to catch him

 **Friday**

They'd gone to the Night Out Entertainment Lounge fro their first date, he'd stood outside the car and showed his manners his Grandfather had learned him, opening doors, letting her go first, Taking her coat everything, he remembered taking her coat and checking it in to turnaround and find her standing there looking amazing in a silk and satin red dress with sparkles all over the boob area, it was hard keeping his eyes to himself that night but he managed it.

"Mercedes you look Beautiful" he'd managed to get out somewhere between his last breath and his gasp for air making her smile as she said her thank you. They ate a meal fit for several kings before he plucked up the courage to ask her "Would you like this dance?" to which she smiled held her hand out to grab his and that was it they laughed and crazy danced all night paying no attention to anyone else in the room, he giggled at the memory

He laughed out loud at the memory of them attempting to have their first kiss that night, looking around to see how much attention he'd just got while muffling his laugh

"We're going to have to plan this" Mercedes had said

"Plan what?" he'd asked as they walked along the bank of the lake making their way to Mercy's part of the town on foot

"Our goodnight kiss" she giggled

"Why?" he asked perplexed

"Because we both have big lips, you go left and I'll go right" she said before going into full belly laugh mode as he stood watching her laugh thinking she might just be the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen in his life. He loved her laugh, smile, angry face every damn face she produced he fell into it without exception, he knew on that first date he'd have problems winning an argument with her.

His smile widened as he remembered maybe their fourth date when he decided to take her to a karaoke bar, they were still under wraps as she called it and he was determined to unwrap them.

"Sam it's karaoke" she said smiling at him as they entered Jimmy's "What the hell are we doing in a karaoke bar?" she asked as he smiled like a cat getting cream

"I thought we could maybe do a vocal challenge I know you have the laugh, lets see what else we can find in there" he said

"Are you throwing a gauntlet?" she asked

"Yeah, whoever wins gets to plan the next date"

"Okay" she said making a B-line for the music book to Sam's surprise

"Why do I get the feeling I've lost this one? He laughed

"Do you want to go first?" she asked smiling

"Should I go first?" he asked

"I'd like you to"

"Okay I'll go first" he announced as she willingly gave him the song book "Okay here goes" he said handing his choice in and five minutes later he was standing on stage singing **'One Call Away' by Charlie Puth** Mercedes stood bursting with pride as he sang his song looking at her for most of it. He remembered feeling comfortable in singing in front of her, he hadn't told her he'd never done that himself before either until much later in the relationship.

"Superman yeah?" she asked him still with a smile when he finally finished his song and rejoined her in the audience as everyone looked on obviously jealous as Sam purposely pulled her to him and kissed her, she looked around when he finally let her go before looking back at him and smiling her thank you smile at him

"Here we go" she said moving away from him to go select her song, smiling at him as the music started and she gave her rendition of **'My Heart' by Jennifer Hudson** not just Sam everyone in the room was up clapping, whooping and praising this girls voice as Sam openly laughed

"You're a damn professional" he laughed hugging her when she came off stage

"Not yet but I plan to be" she informed him

"Your gonna light up the world Lady.." he got out before she grabbed his lips and they got lost "Let's get out of here" he said grabbing her hand and making his way to the exit

"Where are we going?" she asked when they got outside

"We could go round the corner for a hot drink and chat" he suggested

"Sounds good" she replied still being dragged as they neared MJ's she asked him"Sam if any of the guys are in there could we play this down I don't really want their noses in my business just yet"

"That's fine for today, but don't make that a habit, I don't intend on being anyone's dirty secret" he laughed as he pushed the door open

"Mercedes" Rachel shouted running from behind the counter to get to her "Long time, what you doing round here at this time"

"Missed you girl" she said coming out of the hug "We're just getting a drink" she said smiling at Sam

"Yeah we er ran into each other in the parking lot" he smiled at her saying

"Come on sit down, usual?" Rachel asked

"Please" they both said looking at each other

After a short conversation with Rachel they fell into themselves and really didn't notice anything else until Kurt was standing at the table saying "Ignore me then"

"What?" Mercedes said pulling out of her conversation "Oh Kurt hi" she said jumping up to hug him "Sorry deep conversation you know how I am when I get a bone"

"I do but, I don't" he said looking at Sam suspiciously "Is this a date?"

"Just getting a drink" she said as Sam followed awkwardly with

"We ran into each other in the parking lot"

"You parked round the back this time of night?" he asked alarmed as Sam and Mercy looked at each other, Kurt doing his I know smiled before leaving to go talk to Rachel

"Do you think they know?" Mercy asked

"Nobody knows" Sam said laughing as he thought 'I bet they do now' they left the cafe that night to whispering tongues

He remembered that conversation with her about their feelings and how she totally glossed over it saying something about just getting to know each other, her mouth was saying one thing while her body was telling him something totally different. He laughed and she wasn't happy about his response boy did she rip strips out of him and was she not just sexy as hell, he'd made it his life's work to get her ate up like that just to be responsible for calming her right back down again

 **He stood there smiling remembering the events that had brought him to this day, as he waited patiently**

He smiled as he remembered that night they had the parents conversation, they'd been seeing each other for two months and, things had been moving along fairly fast. They'd been seeing each other nearly every day because Sam still wasn't working so his time was his own, he'd sit in the cafe pretending to be a customer when someone came in and grabbing kisses any time he could

"So Mercedes" he said grabbing her hand as she walked past his table one afternoon

"What are you doing?" she asked looking around to see who was watching

"Holding your hand" he smiled back at her almost dragging her to sit down in front of him

"As I was saying " he said shuffling in his chair "two months is a long time when you've been seeing someone like every day" he smiled

"Sam we're just having some fun"

"It's more than that" he smiled "For me anyway, I want more" he said getting a look of embarrassment on his face

What are you talking about when you say more?"

"Well I've got family, friends I'd like you to meet and I'm guessing you do too" he said nervously

"Sam you live on the other side of the lake, you know how that works, we're good here but getting people to accept us over there, impossible task" she said letting his hand go

"Is that why you want this to be kept secret?" he asked moving his hand away from hers more

"I'm scared of what could happen to you, to me even about us yes"

"We can't live being ashamed of who we are together, if the world is against us we need to show them it's us against the world, anyway half of what you think about over there is a myth" he laughed "Everything else aside what are we really doing here?"

"I'm gonna put my neck on the line here and say I hope we're falling in love" she said smiling with nerves _'She was so nervous to say that'_ he remembered smiling

"That's what I wanted to say " he'd replied

"What?"

"That I love you" he said as his mind stopped for the information he'd just passed over leaving himself wide open for all sorts of ridicule and embarrassment "I meant it but I'm not sure whether I meant to say it out loud " he smiled

"I wanted you to say it out loud" she smiled

"Why?"

"Because I think what I'm feeling is love too"

"So my suggestion is a go then?"

"Sam I'm not comfortable with what my family might say to you and I have no control over them or their mouths"

"I know what my parents will say but friends and wider family same for me"

"Are we ready for that?" she asked

"Listen I don't care how big or bad your Dad, Brother, Cousin, Friend is I'm going to fight for us to be together" he said grabbing her hand back

"You know what?" she asked as Sam looked on "Me too" she smiled, _God did I fall into that simile_ he remembered

"Where is she" he asked himself looking at the entrance "Patience" he reminded himself smiling

 **Meeting the families**

So he stood there smiling again, thinking on the events that had brought him to this day, as he waited patiently

"Sam Sam" he heard as he drifted back into his thoughts "Do I look alright ?" She asked as he spun round to see his girl dressed in Black denim jeans with a baggy t-shirt, heels, hair up, face on, nails perfect and looking as innocent as she was

"You carry on like this and that sex talk will be sooner rather than later" he laughed

"We get through meeting the other sides and it 's on" she said with not a laugh in sight Sam laughed out loud again at the buzz he got that day, in his mind he was there again. They'd took the drive over to the other side of the lake, Mercedes quiet, him humming the tunes on the radio to break the silence

"What are you humming?" she asked

"Oh just some courage" he laughed "it's called **'The Story of your life' by Matthew West** it's really a song about taking control of your life and doing something you think is worthwhile with it and that's what I'm doing now and this is definitely the beginning for me" he laughed

"Okay anything I need to know?"

"If anything is said that I think is even slightly offensive we are out of there, my parents are fine but if anyone comes round I mean"

"Okay" she said as he grabbed her hand, it was really hard to establish who was sweating the most when they walked into the house

"Mom, Dad this is Mercedes Jones my girlfriend" Sam announced as his parents looked over from the couch not really taking in what he was saying until they actually saw her come into the room

"Sam" his Mom shouted "Some warning please, look at the place" she said walking towards them

"It's fine Mom" Sam said laughing as she came towards him as if she was going to slap him and laughed

"Mercedes, it's nice to finally meet you sorry for the mess" she said hugging her

"Hello Mrs Evans" she smiled saying before looking up at Mr Evans to say the same thing

"I know you won't but please call us Andy and Kate when you feel comfortable enough to" Kate said "You're staying for dinner yes?" she asked

"Oh thank you" she said looking up at Sam for approval

"Come on lets get acquainted" Kate said linking arms with Mercedes and marching them to the kitchen

"Son, what are you doing?" his Dad asked him, Sam got defensive straight away

"What do you mean" he asked standoffish

"You know its cover dish day, your baptising that poor girl by fire, you know some of the animals that come round"

"Oh I just thought it would be easier than doing this bit by bit, I'm hoping you and Mom have our backs because if this has to get hostile it will"

"Of course we've got your back Son but some warning wouldn't have gone amiss" his Dad laughed "She's stunning though" he said through his laugh

"Yeah she is" Sam smiled

"And you like her"

"A lot" Sam laughed when he remembered the look on his Fathers' face when he said that, he remembered thinking had he been 30 years younger his Dad would have given him a run for his money on this one

That night was like pigeons had been sent round to everyone on the block everyone was there to see the show called Sam and Mercedes and he kept her close all evening. They held in laughs as they watched his Uncle pouring his heart out in some song for his long gone ex-wife after she'd caught him with some young girl in their barn. It wasn't so much the situation as the song he sang as he angrily belted out his rendition of **'She's got a way with Words' by Blake Shelton** as everyone clapped along before clapping him off stage patting his back for his balls

Sam's cousin introduced herself to Mercedes as soon as she walked into the yard as Mercedes was stood with Sam's Mom "Don't take that girl at face value she's sneaking" Kate had informed her and she took note

"Here's one for fun" she announced as she mounted the stage

"Take no notice of Quinn she thinks she's more than she is" he whispered in Mercedes ear

"Okay" Mercedes said not taking her eye off her as she got up and sung **'Summer' by Cassadee Pope** sweetly as everyone rocked along and clapped when she'd finished, even Mercy had to clap she could really sing he remembered her saying

"Not like you" he whispered to her

"Truth" she turned to say as Quinn shouted over the mic

"Sam come sing something"

"Shit sorry Mercy" he said as he let her go to grab her hand, smiling as he remembered the look on her face as they went towards the stage Sam sang **'The nights on fire' by David Nail** which seemed to end really quickly and abruptly ending his song with "You want to sing something Mercy?" and pulling her forward by her hand

"I don't really know any Country"

"It can be anything you want"

"What about **'Dibs' by Kelsae Ballerini"** she smiled

"What you say, you don't know Country?" he asked kissing her for the game she brought before letting her go to sing her song "Mercy this is Artie & Tina, Blaine and you know Quinn" he said introducing her to his small group of friends when she'd finished and got her cheers and he'd got his kiss

"Nice to meet you" Tina said hugging her in as she went down to hug Artie while Blaine was a bit awkward but hugged her anyway and again Quinn said a cold hello

"She fitted in just right" he said to himself smiling

About a week later they went to visit Mercy's Parents that was a treat in itself it was like a permanent singfest every word that was said her Aunts found something to sing about, he'd never laughed so much in all his life

"Hey Baby girl" her Dad said as they neared the front door as her Aunts started singing _'What can make me feel this way My girl'_ he remembered thinking they were mad at first but when he got the gist of it he could do nothing but laugh every time they opened their mouths. They kept referring to him as the white boy and didn't seem to think it was wrong and after watching Mercy blow up several times and calming her down with nods or a hand he'd decided to call them the black boys and they corrected him saying their name and he started doing the same thing adding Sam to everything they said. By the end of the second day they were all on first name terms and Mercy was smiling a lot more. After dinner they sung Christian songs mainly except on the last evening they sang whatever they wanted

Her Aunts sang their rendition of **'Stand up for Love' by Destiny's Child** which was a Christian song in the main making Sam laugh again because when they sung their random songs they never sung religious songs, but the song was brilliant and he could definitely hear where Mercy got her voice from, her Mother was brilliant .

Her cousin, June got up and sung **'Into you' by Ariana Grande** as Mercy stood wondering if it was all together appropriate as she seemed to be singing to Sam, while Sam stood open mouthed watching her for a while before her Mother shut her down with a slap

"That's abuse yeah?" Sam asked Mercy

"That's behave your damn self" Mercy laughed

"Mercy you gonna sing?" he Mother asked

Mercy got up and delivered her version of ' **He is' by Heather Headley** as everyone danced around to her song

"So that's how he got you?" her uncle asked

As proud as anyone could be she just said a simple "Yes, any which way he wants" and kissed him right there in front of everyone as everyone cheered and came up hugging them both. He wasn't quite sure what happened just then he just knew he was never called white boy again and Sam changed to Son within weeks.

He went to the cafe and officially told Puck, Rachael & Jessie and Kurt they were a couple, in the middle of their shift so they couldn't kick off

"Meet us in Sparkles later" Puck almost ordered "10 when we all finish"

"He thinks he's my big brother" Mercy informed Sam as they left the cafe, seeing the question on his face as to why she allowed him to speak to her like that "Makes me laugh because he's never been faithful to any girl" she laughed

"I'm sorry Mercy but I'm going to have to have a word with him he just can't do that not with me standing there"

"You do what you need to do but no fighting" she said looking at him seriously "Oh and Sparkles in a karaoke bar" she added as they made their way there

Her family had him in stitches, her friends had him in bits when they got on stage at the bar and went full blown into **'One day I'll fly away"** Moulin Rouge style, Mercy had to keep kicking him to fix up, he just couldn't stop as everyone in the place seemed to see it as normal practice

"So" Puck who had been sitting with them watching the show said once they'd finished "What's your intentions for Mercedes?" he asked

"Please tell me someone else found that bizarre" Sam asked laughing

"That lot are fucking crazy everyone knows it, we just let them live out their fantasies" Puck replied as Mercy rolled her eyes "Intentions?"

"Well we know we have feelings for each other we've used the word love and so far that's it" Sam said shifting uncomfortably in his chair as he looked at Mercy before carrying on "I also want to say; and I'm not being confrontational here" he said using his hand action to ensure things stayed low key "But I don't like the way you spoke to Mercy earlier and I'm asking you not to do that again" Sam said as calmly as he could

"Consider him told" Kurt came from nowhere saying with a smile "I told you someone was going to mark your card about that one day" as the others arrived and the rest of the evening went well as far as he could remember

"We survived" Mercy said as he drove her home

"I could see Blaine with Kurt" he said laughing

"Yeah, we need to make that happen" she'd agreed

"Hey" Sam said getting her attention "I love you" he said grabbing hold of her hand with his free hand

"I love you too" she smiled back

 **The Unknown Conversation**

"Yes" Sam's Grandmother said with tears in her eyes hugging onto his Granddad "Our boy did it and she's beautiful"

"She really is I know her from school" Finn said

"And it's within the 6 months you gave" his Granddad added

"Okay I grant you that his time is not just yet" Heaven said smiling

"You planned it all didn't you?" his Granddad asked her

"There's always a plan" Heaven smiled "Always a plan" she said as she faded away

"I have all the time in the world I'm going to sit and watch this bloom" his Grandmother announced grabbing hold of her husband "We live on" she smiled up at him before they kissed and sat to watch

 **End of Unknown Conversation**

"This is nail biting stuff" Sam said fidgeting as they stood waiting for the others to appear

"Why?" Mercy asked looking up at him "It's just our friends meeting up" she said as she too stood there rubbing her hands together

"I really want Blaine and Kurt to hit it off" he said smiling

"Me too" she said with a long gaze broken by the sound of Kurt's voice

"Hi Girlfriend" he said as he neared them

"Why do you always come from nowhere?" Sam asked

"I always come from somewhere I just don't make a song and dance about it" he replied

"Hi" Mercedes said hugging him

"Yeah sorry Hi Kurt" Sam said fist bumping him

"Rachel and Jessie are right behind me and as usual only God alone knows where Puck is on his journey" Kurt said rolling his eyes "Wow" he said making Sam and Mercy look in the direction he was looking in "Yes please" he said looking at Mercy as she quickly turned and smiled at Sam

"Sam" Artie shouted from the group as they walked towards them

"Hi" Rachel said approaching with Puck and Jessie

"Aarr Good we're all here" Sam said smiling as they went about hugging their respective friends "Okay" he said getting some order "This is Artie who's with Tina" he said pointing to both as he said their names "This is Blaine single" he smiled " And this is my cousin Quinn also single"

"Okay" Mercy said grabbing their attention before anyone could say anything "This is Rachael who's with Jessie" she said mirroring Sam's introduction "This is Kurt single" she said raising an eyebrow "And Puck also single" she smiled before everyone went into hello mode

"I did something special for you" he remembered saying to Mercy as they entered Jimmy's as Mercy stood telling her friends no theatre stuff, after announcing they were going to the bar

"Oh My God" she said as she walked into the bar to see silhouettes of 1960's and 70's Mo-town singers around the place and a banner saying it was Mo-town theme night "Hands down one of my favourite genre of all time is Mo-town I planned on going to the immortal all star tour when it comes round" she announced

"Speaking of immortal" Sam smiled "seeing as we're going to be seeing your name up in lights for the rest of our lives, I thought we might as well start tonight" he said nodding at the DJ

"Sam Evans you are crazy" she laughed hugging into him as her name flashed up on the DJ's equipment in coloured lights

"Crazy about you" he looked into her eyes saying

"We need a serious talk and soon" she said as Sam stood wondering what she meant by that

It was really hard to get Puck and Quinn and Blaine and Kurt prized apart long enough to sort too many songs out so they just sang **'Where Did Our Love Go' by The Supreme's** for the girls and the boys finally got up and sung their rendition of **'Just My Imagination' by The Temptations** the rest of the night was taken up with Sam and Mercy making their own entertainment pleased that the guys had hit it off so well.

"She talked about that night for ages" he remembered as he looked at his phone again to see only 2 minutes had gone by since he last checked

Over those next few years he'd gone back to work at Marvel, she'd broken into the music business, small fry but she was good he'd got no doubts about her being the next big thing and they were ready for it. They'd had so many conversations, they all melted into one, they'd made promises, plans and their friends were getting on all to well

"I really think Puck likes Quinn" Mercy had said excitedly to Sam one evening "He's never really been a one woman man but I'm impressed"

"I'm impressed with her she's not a one man woman" Sam said laughing "But I guess everyone's adult enough to make their own choices, seems a good choice"

"We hardly see Kurt and Blaine any more, they're so tight nowadays" she laughed as they walked the short distance to the farewell celebration. Rachael & Jessie were finally going off to New York to do some show she'd been cast in and he was going to NYADA in a weeks time, Artie had finished Film School and had been hunted to do a film up in Colorado so Tina and he were on the move trying the whole living together thing at the same time. They'd agreed to do this thing joint because everyone only had this one last weekend off before every one split .

It was more talking than singing or even drinking but Puck had booked DeeJayz which had booths in so at least they could have privacy there, although they'd still have to shout over the music and stuff. They walked into the club with Tina and Artie, shocked because the first thing they see is Puck rubbing down on some random, who's lips were much too close to his for that to be just a friend. Of all the times for that to happen just that second, she kissed him and he didn't stop her.

"Shit" Mercy said looking at Sam knowing there was no way she was ever going to have any sort of conversation with Tina about keeping this snippet from her girl, diverting the party to the bar just then Quinn walked in obviously seeing exactly the same thing everyone else was drawn to when she stepped in

"How's your Man so fucking insensitive" Sam asked her as Mercy looked at him

"Responsible for" she said pointing at herself "Interested in" she said pointing at him "Let her deal with it"

They all stood at the bar watching this story unfold as Puck eventually saw Quinn standing there with her hand on hip ready to blow "Whooo that went all over the place" he remembered laughing as he thought, Quinn on the phone to me all hours of the day and night, Puck on the phone to Mercy the same and then they must have realised we weren't getting involved because they started phoning the opposite so Puck was on Sam's back wanting him to test the waters for him

"Hey" Mercy said one day when Sam and her were together and on their phones to Quinn and Puck "Look I'm telling you both to sort your own shit out" she said clipping the phone off before paying attention to Kurt & Blaine sitting on the other side of the table "So you say you've got something to say without the drama" she laughed

"Yeah and don't judge us it's just that well" Kurt said grabbing Blaine's hand "We've connected in a way we didn't think was possible and so fast" he said uncharacteristically taking a breath "We decided we want to go to New York and yes we will be living together and support please"

"Is it what you really want?" Mercy asked with caution

"Yes Diva it is" Kurt replied

"Then it's what I want for you two too, we rooted for you we saw the fit before you two even knew each other" she laughed

"It's true" Sam said smiling "So our work here is done"he announced

 **A year Later, 23 years old**

"Sam" Mercy said as she'd laid in his arms in front of the fire at his parents home in the den "You know I said some time ago we needed to have a conversation soon?"

"No, but carry on" he'd said smiling at how long it had taken her to get back to this conversation

"And well all that stuff was going on with Quinn and Puck at the time and everything and I just didn't think it was the right time and everything but now I think it is and well I just want to get back on that page you talked about maybe near the beginning of us and well just I don't know just..."

"Okay, lets stop there yeah, because now I'm confused and seriously it takes a lot to confuse me" he laughed "Mercy we've been seeing each other for a year tomorrow and if we can't be straight with each other at this point we have a problem"

"Sex Sam I'm talking about sex" she blurted out

"Yeah I know" he said laughing as she slapped in the air after him for teasing her "So what are we saying ready or waiting?" he asked

"I think I'm ready" she said looking up at him

"I can work with that but I don't want anything planned, if we're just prepared and it naturally happens then I'd love that" he said excitedly

"Yeah I agree" Mercy said smiling "I used to get uncomfortable for how far to go, now I think I'm frustrated for when we stop" she laughed, he joined in, settling back down soon after

"Yeah Quinn and Puck I really can't believe she took him back after that" Mercy said out the blue

"On a technicality I think, he hadn't slept with her or something" Sam remembered saying as he smiled again at the memory of them making their life plans

It was a random night he remembered they'd been to the fair had a really good day and really didn't want it all to end "Come to mine" Mercy had suggested but he'd had a sketch to finish and he hadn't brought it with him so he couldn't

"You come to mine" he said "We can stay in the den have some quiet time" he smiled "Do something towards getting your name up in lights" he laughed "Remember the last time I said that you told me I was crazy" he smiled

"That's coz you are" she laughed

"Yeah, well you kind a love it don't you?" he said as she burst into a fit of belly laughing

"Actually yeah I really do" she got out in bits while she laughed "Hold up I'm trying to stop" she said tears now running down her face

Come on it's not that funny what you laughing at?" he'd asked her

"I was just trying to think of a nice way to tell you straight what I want and I came up with the most disgusting phrase, it's not even something I'd say" she said taking a deep breath to stop herself from laughing "And don't even ask because that is not coming out my mouth"

So they'd gone back to his said their hello's and informed his parents they were going to the den because he had art work to do he'd grabbed his things on the way through and he was busily sketching while Mercy was wondering around looking at art, pictures, playing the piano every now and again and generally looking pissed off.

"Stay still let me get a sketch" he'd called to her and she looked and smiled and moved again "Do you want to go home?" he asked

"No I'm fine" she said heading towards the music centre and fanning through the old records as she found **'Ice' by Kelly Rowland ft Lil Wayne** and threw it on the mixer making Sam smile as she started dancing to the song soon getting his attention . He'd never seen her move that way before she was definitely asking for something without words and he was more than willing to precipitate. She got herself a playlist that he couldn't resist and at some point, which he couldn't actually recall, the art got lost and their love got deeper. He swore everyone knew they were sexually active, they never left each other, he'd drive unmentionable miles to meet up for an hour just to get their fix, they were almost obsessed. Mercy would fly in late at night and leave early in the mornings and hotel bills were getting ridiculous he remembered, catching himself drifting

"What am I doing standing here getting me a boner in front of all these damn people" he smiled to himself, making sure his jacket was covering him effectively.

 **20th March 11.45am**

 **He stood there smiling remembering the events that had brought him to this day, as he waited patiently**

 **Jumping A Year Ahead, 24 years old**

"Babe" she shouted up the stairs as she entered the house

"Come up" he shouted back, too excited to wait in his room he met her at the top of the stairs "I thought you were coming in later tonight?" he asked as she flew into his arms

"I was given the opportunity and I took it, is this a moan?" she looked at him asking

"God no, I just made plans for this evening and stuff but we can adjust" he smiled before kissing her

"Parents?"

"They're just in the garden I'm afraid "

"Can we go to the den?"

"Babe they're in the house"

"Hotel then?"

"Yeah I guess, I've just got a few things to collect for this evening " he said finally putting her down "Let me just grab some stuff" he said walking back into his room

"I'm just going to say hi" she said backing down the stairs as she spoke

"Mercy, please turn round to go down" he said which she did

He smiled as he remembered that afternoon , how they made love rough with hardly any talking Mercy was thirsty, very actually, and by the time they finished with each other neither was in the mood to move an inch, but it had to be done, he had a plan

"I'll take you home for a bit and collect you on my way back in" he suggested

"Why?"

"I told you I have errands to run"

"We can do that"

"We could but I'm guessing you haven't been home yet"

"You're right, yeah I suppose I'll have to show my face at home" she said as they both lay there making no attempt to get up, still exhausted

"Come on" he'd finally said about 10 minutes later getting up and pulling her with him

Later that day he remembered calling her "Mercy, Mom just told me your parents are coming over this evening, so you might as well just come with them, that gives me more time to help Mom and stuff" he suggested

"Yeah I was just about to call you but I thought you'd still be driving "

"Okay I'll see you later"

"You will " she laughed

"I love you Miss Jones"

"I love you Mr Evans" she replied before they put the phone down

Mercy had done the backing singing on some random Indie labels, extension classes in the mean time and was now singing as an opening artist for various big names and also in the process of doing her own album she was busy, excited and seriously missing her man. She was away for weeks at a time, living in hotel rooms or sharing with other crew members and, after just six months of that life she'd already decided backing or opening act wasn't for her she wanted front and centre stage. "I was just excited to watch it all happen for her" he remembered. She was mighty upset at having to give up her job at Star Fellows, more for the people she was going to miss than anything else and it was clear they were genuinely going to miss her. He smiled as he remembered having to almost carry her out of that leaving party

"Sam" his Mom shouted "They're here" popped into his memory as he remembered sweating, his stomach rolling, his mind going blank, his mouth drying up, his feet were like lead and he couldn't think what to do with his damn hands as he glided into the living room where all the candles were lit waiting, leaving the door ajar

"Hey" Mercy said as she hugged Sam's parents before looking around for Sam "What's going on in there, looks like somebody lit a bunch of candles?" she asked looking at his Mom who just raised an eyebrow and smiled

"Go look" Kate said smiling at Paulette, Mercy's Mom

"It's okay" Sam said as her head came round the corner "Don't worry the fire service are on standby" he laughed more nerves than that being funny "Shut the door" he asked which she did questions clearly waiting to be answered on her face

"Fact Loving you is awesome, sex is through the roof, but we have so much more to do together like, I don't know skydiving, horse back riding and hearing you sing centre stage. I can live without almost every thing, but I can't live without you in my life so, I need to ask you this one big thing" he said walking towards her and dropping to his knee "Mercedes Jones will you do me the very great honour of being my wife?"

"Yes" she said grabbing hold of him and pulling him up "Yes" she said kissing him hard on the lips "God Sam Yes" she screamed once she let his lips go totally elated as the door opened and their parents came in

"You planned this?" she asked told him slapping his chest playfully

"Yep" he said laughing as congratulations were passed around before the six of them celebrated the occasion with a BBQ and some background music while the Mom's made plans


	2. Chapter 2

**25 years old**

It was like they'd got that part of the relationship straight and everything else just fell into place, Mercy had a great opportunity fall in her lap , her album was well received, he got promoted and suddenly money was coming in enough for them to start making plans fast.

Life was frantic for a little while and Mercy did a lot of crying then because she felt she was being pulled from pillow to post and he eventually took some time off work and went to see her in Washington DC, spending a week as she did her thing, just as he was leaving she'd asked "How soon can we get married?"

"Well , we've got more than a deposit saved I guess whenever we want" he replied

"Okay" she said grabbing hold of his T-Shirt "Lets" she said her eyes begging him to agree

"We will " he said, not fully understanding her request

"I mean lets do it like now"

"Shitting right?" he asked bugging out

"No I want to get married as soon as possible" she said pulling him in and kissing him "Next month?" she asked

"Oh" he'd said breathing with relief "Yeah I'll let the parents know when I get back, are you sure?"

"Yeah, I said yes didn't I"

"Talk to me Mercy, what's up?" he said sitting down next to her

"I just feel a bit vulnerable just now and well, you being my one constant I don't want to lose sight of you, I'm super aware of how much time we're spending apart, that hurts sometimes, and then on top of all that, doubt creeps in and I'm sitting here crying imagining you finding someone full time and stuff, I hate myself sometimes that's all" she smiled

"And I'm at home thinking the same thing about you" he smiled "With all these famous jocks all up in my business and shit , I fear I'm not climbing with you and I'm going to get left behind you know?"

"No I don't" she said as he looked at her to see her face was serious "I'm climbing to get to you" she said

"God my beating heart" he'd said holding his heart "You love me?"

"Damn straight" she said bringing a smile to both their faces

"I need to see that smile, damn where is she?" he thought looking at the door still waiting for her to come in, telling himself not to look at the time again "Apparently it's a woman's prerogative" he laughed to himself

He stood remembering as his mind flashed back to the mixed hen and stag night "What a fest" he smiled

"Mercy had insisted they have a joint one, he didn't mind he hadn't seen her for three weeks prior and this was just the second day in since she'd come back and he needed all the time he could get especially since they'd agreed not to sleep together in the fuller sense until after the wedding in 4 days time. Every look, touch, word, gesture had become their erogenous zone, so it was clumsy for them to interact with each other without laughing or smiling for what they were thinking at any given time

"I respect you for that" Kurt had said to Sam having caught them smirking about touching each others lips "Restraint I like it" he smiled. So the parents were there obviously, cousins, aunts and uncles, family friends and of course their friends all in Mercy's back yard. He loved it there sometimes as dusk came there were places in that garden you could get up to anything and the person at the next tree would never know. Many a night they had conducted their business in the garden while her parents sat on the patio up front watching the lake not knowing they were providing peeping toms with an x-rated version of what the ducks were doing.

Kurt & Blaine were still sweet a good fit, Artie & Tina were as strong as he'd ever seen them, Jessie was still being marshalled by Rachael but it fit them and he never complained the kinky bastard, he thought laughing at his conclusion for them. Puck & Quinn looked like they were ready to start world war three up in the party, they had to pull them aside and warn them

"I'm not going to say anything" Quinn announced to Sam and his Mom

"I've had all my chances I give up" Mercy said Puck had told her

So why did their night turn into the Quinn and Puck battle night with Quinn getting up to sing to the happy couple apparently **'Sorry' by Beyonce** missing the swear out as everyone looked at him and Mercy, thinking they were having problems

"Okay" Sam jumped up to say when she finished "I guess she's mad at her ex" he laughed "If those are the dedication please no more to Mercy and I"

"Okay" Puck jumped up on the stage saying "I'm the ex" he said but she just assumes she knows what's going down, her informant got it all wrong" he said starting his song back to her, some people actually started dancing as he sung **'She Seen Me' by Usher**

Sam remembered standing looking at Mercy for the longest time as they both stood wondering who was celebrating what. Absolute drama when Quinn went running to him after the song when he announced he didn't stay with that other girl overnight

He laughed as he saw, in his head, Mercy charging up to the stage telling them to go find some counselling and stop boycotting her hen night Artie seeing how mad she was took Quinn to one side while Jessie made quick work of removing Puck forcefully. They kept low key for the rest of the evening but for Mercy and Sam they'd already put a dampener on it

"Come sing something for us" Paulette shouted across to them some time later as Mercy left him and went towards her "Bring Sam" she called to her as Sam quick stepped to catch her up "The two of you" she smiled

"And take no notice of your cousin" Kate said hugging Mercy "She's always been Quinn focused"

"Okay" Sam said grabbing Mercy's hand "lets get some fun back in the party" he said flipping through the list and sitting at the piano as he started playing **'Marvin Gaye' by Charlie Puth & Meghan Trainor** everyone jumped about dancing, singing along and enjoying the party, the family kept the party mood going for the rest of the night and eventually Mercy did talk to Puck again even smiled at Quinn

3 days later they were married, he smiled at the memory as the bridesmaid walked down the aisle all dressed in Purple even Quinn managed to do it without it being about her. It was beautiful and when Mercy came walking down that aisle his breath left him for the whole time it took her to get to him, he knew their friends were singing something but for the life of him he couldn't remember what that was, he fell in love so deep all over again. Then that trying time where, with all that nervousness going on, he managed to sing her ' **I Do (Cherish you)' by 98 Degrees** with Blaine, Kurt, Puck and Artie backing him **,** it must have been alright because everyone clapped

He heard every word Mercy sang when she sang her speech ' **Can I walk with you' by India Arie** it was the Bomb, everyone sung something and seriously best wedding ever he thought as he stood waiting .

As it does life just kept moving on and no sooner they were married, honeymoon over three weeks later they were back to life and work, Mercy finally got a full recording contract in Los Angeles and they made the massive decision to move there within a month.

 **26 years old**

Almost a year to the day of their wedding Sam remembered Mercy being home early from one of her gigs, he was chocked to see her when he walked in, but a bit upset that he hadn't planned anything for their weekend together. He looked forward to her coming home just for them being together every second of the day, he'd book holidays or work from home order everything in and just live in their little shell going out for a meal every now and again but Mercy was getting too popular for them to have any serious privacy outside their home walls. "Hi Babe, you didn't say you were coming home when we spoke last night" he said as he walked towards her for his usual hug and kisses

"Oh I didn't feel too good last night and I just decided to ask for a few days off" she replied sitting back down

"Oh I'm sorry about that babe anything I can do? he asked concerned

"Hot drink maybe?"

"Yeah I'll get you one of those" he said walking off to make it "Babe you got something in the oven" he shouted back through

"Oh yeah"

"Shall I take it out" he called back "You shouldn't be cooking if your not well" his last word quite low as he made his way back to the main room with hot tray in hand "Babe, why have you got two buns in the oven ?" he asked her

"Because I have two buns in the oven" she replied smiling

"I know that babe I just asked why?

"I'm going to have to spell this out aren't I?" she asked him

"Obviously you were cooking them" he said rolling his eyes

"No I was telling you something"

"So you put two buns in the oven..." Sam's words lingered off "Mercy" he said losing his breath at what he was thinking "Are we?" he asked unable to get the rest of that sentence out, the smile on Mercy's face told him what he needed to know as he watched her nodding at his thought "A baby" he finally said throwing the tray, making his way to her and falling on the couch next to her squeezing her so tight she made noise

"Babies" she corrected him

"Blown away" Sam sat saying on the couch his hands wiping away tears every now and again , he remembered they were happy that day, really happy and like rabbits they couldn't stop, they didn't for about two months, every opportunity they got they were in bed, against a wall, in a bathroom, a lift, the park everywhere until one day it got difficult for her and they somehow slowed everything right down. Those last two months were the worst , everything became a chore, sleeping, sex, walking, breathing, conversation, touching everything and God were they pissed. As expected following a C-Section Kayla and Darrah were introduced to the world 1 hour after the first initial cut, both a healthy weight and although different sex they were almost mirror images of each other. They were floating, he remembered there was a welcome party when they got the twins home, which lasted for about a week by the time everyone finally went back home. Somehow there was a stitches have healed party as everyone turned up for them to have time alone that weekend, some 9 weeks later, even the parents. Of course when the twins were 8 months they finally got round to making time to fit in a Christening, Mercy did a beautiful rendition for the children and everyone was in tears including her by the time she'd finished.

That night they got more free time, so it was no surprise that Miare was born 9 months later.

Kurt and Blaine tied the knot a beautiful ceremony with Mercy singing their walk in song as chief bridesmaid while he was best Man and more opportunities to do wrong things in wrong places . Tina got pregnant and her and Artie got married in Vegas on a short holiday came back and had a dope party at Tina's parents house. Puck and Quinn, got married and yes we played up rotten getting them back for our hen and stag night.

We had an argument, sang **'We are never ever getting back together' by Taylor Swift** in fine rant style, Puck got it, but Quinn wasn't too happy and in fairness Mercy really didn't give a shit about her feeling neither did I to be honest

Rachel and Jessie were still strong having married straight out of school, everyone thought they'd jumped in too quick after, Mercy included, but they'd proved us wrong and they stayed together as strong as ever. They had their first and only child late and he was so spoilt Mercy moaned about him influencing our children when they came to visit. They didn't say anything about it because the St James' visited maybe once every 3 years now they lived in England, he laughed out loud as he wondered how their theatre karaoke went down in the UK

 **45 years old**

Having three children under 5 was hard for a short while but once school started for the twins everything seemed to rush from there, life passed by and between work, Mercy's show's, Grammy awards, him starting his own business, family holidays which came around quicker than ever, they grew up and suddenly Darrah was standing in his study talking to him about what "flipping girls" Sam said aloud

"How old are you son?" he remembered asking as Mercy laughed in the wings

"Dad" he said knowing he wasn't listening to him "I'm 19"

"Where's the time gone?" he asked him not expecting an answer "Where's this girl then, what's her name come on Dar this is like pulling teeth" he laughed

"And you make a joke about everything Dad" he said not amused

"Not fair I won't see your serious side if you don't see my funny side" Sam smiled

"Dad come on, she means something to me" he said throwing himself down on the couch as his Dad got up to go join him

"Man to man son, I know you have morals , we gave you a good helping of them remember?" he asked as Darrah nodded his head "Always treat women with respect son, never do anything to hurt their heart or make you feel ashamed of yourself or us ashamed of you" he said waiting for an answer

"And" Darrah said

"And what?"

"And" he said coaxing him on

"Oh yeah, and always use protection, everybody's got a random" he laughed

"I know Dad" he said rolling his eyes

"I know you know you just need to remember me saying it" he laughed getting up to go back to his desk noticing Darrah not moving "Was there something else?"

"Yeah, Kay wanted me to soften the waters for her with you and Mom"

"Tell her hell will freeze over and if you argue on that I'll take that conversation we just had back" he said as serious as Darrah had ever known him to be

"That was so unfair" he told himself at his memory, but laughing as he remembered the next event

"Sam, did you go back and get that dog" Mercy walked in the house saying having nearly fell because of the lead he'd left laying on the floor

"Babe yeah" he said nervously "Sorry I didn't talk to you about it first, I saw him and something inside me just clicked and I knew he needed to be a part of our family" he half smiled

"This is a living breathing creature Sam" she'd said like he didn't already know that

"I know, I can take care of him" he said "Okay; just give me a chance, look he loves you already" he said showing his and the dogs sad puppy faces

"Okay if it's that important to you we'll try it" she'd finally said, inside he was smiling at the victory, he'd won so easy

"Did you get that bunch of stuff I asked you to do done?"

"Yeah, well no, I was just about to" he said closing his eyes for what was coming next when Kayla walked in

"Oh no" Mercy almost shouted making him turn around to look "Oh I know that our girl is not wearing my new wig, I know that you did not let her lose in our bedroom, my wardrobe, my make up" she walked over to Kayla saying before screaming, at full lung capacity "Sam" across the room "Don't, Don't you even speak how does our girl get to walk out the house with my Louboutin's on, I need you two to go buy them back like now or I will go full Avatar on the two of you" They hot stepped out the house, managing to laugh when the car turned the corner, dropped to the floor at the price of the things but, ended up buying her two pairs and some undergarments for good measure , "yeah we had some fun that night" he smiled saying

Our world started falling apart just after that, with Mom Jones getting sick with simple flu that turned nasty and at 78 she never really recovered from that cold, Dad Jones followed shortly after her and everyone knew he'd died of a broken heart. Mercy was inconsolable , she went into some kind of depression , they'd took time out and done some them stuff for about 4 months, the whole thing cut short with the announcement from Kayla that she was getting engaged . He remembered not being very happy about it but Mercy sprung into Mom mode again and somewhere in there she became herself again and for that he got on the band wagon, Glen turned out to be an alright guy too.

Puck had been on his way to Dad Jones' funeral with Quinn and their girls when some idiot had hit them from the back and everyone had whiplash so they arrived the morning of the funeral instead of the day before with neck rings on all four. Sam sadly remembered how broken his Mom and Dad were about losing their best friends but the wedding planning had brought everyone back into focus , everyone was running around doing something for the big day.

No sooner was Kayla & Glen's day upon then when randomly Darrah announced his forthcoming nuptials with Asho the following year and Maire didn't leave her news out either so the following year Darrah was married and, as soon as she finished University Maire got married to Onedo and they moved to Australia, lots of crying that year

Sam's parents celebrated their 60th Anniversary in fine style, with some massive banquet dinner for all their friends and family in the gardens, fireworks the lot

"We have to do something like this when we get there" Mercy had said to him at the end of the night

"We will" he smiled at her before kissing her on the forehead

 **54 years old**

These next few years were about winding down for us, the children were sorted, Mercy was at the top of her tree in the music industry only sitting back reaping the benefits now and writing songs for some of the younger artists. She'd got a few Studio's going over the years which were run by some pretty studious Managers, and she seemed happy. His life had changed for the better already, he'd employed a Manager for his lucrative Guypic business, he'd got graphic designers coming out his ears, four different comic lines New Directions being the most sort after one, based on dealing with real issues though picture as in a comic book setting and was taken up by all ages . Maire & Onedo were Doctors in Australia, Glen into acting while Kayla had pursued her music career and was doing alright too, Darrah attempted to go into Motor racing, and laughed off the flack he got from his Mom but, when his Dad came in like thunder he soon returned to his life of MBA as Asho sat patiently waiting for him to come to his senses and kissed Sam for getting him back for her. She did hair for every single artist in the know, very sort after in the world of fashion and of course Mercy loved her because she always got first and for free.

Darrah and Asho were the first to get the ball rolling in relation to giving us grandchildren , I never forget the day they announced it

"Grandma, Granddad" they'd said walking into the house, you prepare for things like this as a parent, especially when you know your children are in an environment where it's possible or even probable, but shit we were seriously not prepared for it, I went into the OMG he's a fucking man mode fist bumping, grin from ear to ear, hell I brought out cigars for my own son, I think I was on my second glass of whisky before I noticed Mercy's celebration wasn't going on

"What's up babe?" I asked really concerned for the look on her face

"Do you really need to ask me that?" she spat back tears welling in the brims of her eyes as her Diva threatened to expose itself

"Can we have a minute" he asked as Darrah and Asho made to leave the study "Come on" he said sitting next to her "Out with it what's up?"

"I just aged like 10 years, a fucking Grandma fuck Sam I'm old" she cried "I think we should make them give it up, and give us another what? say 10 years of being young are you with me?"

"I wished I could be but babe, I'm really excited about this" he smiled "Don't you just want to know what a mini Darrah looks like, have all the time in the world to play with them, something we didn't always get the time to do, spoil them for being replicas of us sometimes, just more family to love"

"I do want that for him, I just don't want old for me, do I look old and ugly, no don't answer that" she said before he could open his mouth

"Listen Mercy" he said grabbing her hands "At 22 you were the most beautiful girl I had ever laid my eyes on, At 32 you were the most beautiful sensational artist I'd ever had the privilege of listening to and the most awesome mother I could have ever wanted to raise our children. At 42 I was so proud of your beautiful self for winning not two but four Grammy's for your musical achievement and girl you looked fierce, and at 52 your beauty flourished when in the face of pain and suffering for Mom and Dad you got up on that church stage and sang your heart out for them pleasing them and everyone in the audience. So don't you ever tell me your not beautiful because you know, I know you are"

 _Eighteen wheels and an open road, I sing my songs all across the country, cause these people trust me, so give me..._

 _So give me a rusty old grain silo, give me good food that sticks to my bones_  
 _Thank you for that good good man who loves me, with dirt on my hands and scrapes on my knees_  
 _The feeling at night when I wash it all clean, I'm telling you girls, it's a beautiful thing_  
 _Trust me, please trust me, It's far from ugly_

 **Extract fro 'Ugly' by Fantasia**

She sang "You made all that possible for me babe" she smiled "Loving me the way you do" she'd said kissing him on the lips

"Any further with that and we'd need to be in our room" he pulled away saying "You going to congratulate our boy?" he asked

"Wobble over" she said jumping up to go see the children

Having their first grandchild was definitely up there with first everything in their life together Mercy cried like a baby more so than she cried when they had their own children and every time she saw any of her grandchildren she reverted to baby mode spoiling them rotten to the disapproving looks from their parents

Over the next 5 years that followed it seemed like they all got the bug, to add to Robert Jr, Kayla & Glen had their son Dylan and two years later Maire & Onedo had twins Sian and Shawn.

 **59 Years old**

The years went really quick then Andy, Sam's Dad, died of a heart attack while birthing one of the cows and Kate just wanted to sell the farm for taking her husband away from her she cursed for months just walked around the place like a mad woman. Sam tried so did Mercy to console her but nothing worked she needed Andy and he just wasn't there. They moved in for a while but eventually she told them to go because their children needed them, Sam went but Mercy stayed for a while longer

He remembered missing a few calls from Mercy and her ratting him out a bit "Babe I'm like 59 I've worked all my adult life , I deserve a lay in every now and again " he'd said

"Yes babe but your constantly sleeping and if I'm honest it worries me"

"It's fine babe , I'll get a few more hours and I'll be right as rain " he'd said

"I need you to do more than that babe I need you to make an appointment to see the doctor to settle my mind, promise you will , soon?"

"I will babe , I promise" he'd said shortly before hanging up the phone, he smiled when he thought about how caring Mercy was being

A few days later the dreaded call from Mercy made him drop everything and get back home to tend to his Mom

 **20th March 11.55am**

 **He stood there smiling remembering the events that had brought him to this day, as he waited patiently**

 **60 years old**

So Mom passed that following year having spent the last of her days in a hospice because she was too ill to look after herself, but refused violently to have her children or grandchildren look after her, they took it in turned to stay in the big house so there was someone to visit her every day and she was happy to see everyone. They reported on June 27th that she went peacefully in her sleep with a smile on her face

"Dad had come to collect her" Sam had said out of the blue "I have to believe that I can think of no other earthly reason why she would choose to leave us alone here other than that" he cried into Mercy's shoulder

"Will you be waiting for me Mercy?" he finally asked when he'd stopped sobbing

"I will Sam, I will" she replied holding back her tears

Everyone turned up for the funeral Kurt & Blaine with their Daughter and her husband and two children , Quinn & Puck, still together with four very level headed children , having their first had changed them suddenly they were responsible adults making big decisions, they fell into adulthood, it was a joy to watch. Rachael & Jessie with spoilt brat and his very unspoilt three children, even he was pleasant enough and of course Tina & Artie with their two with their other halves and five grandchildren. The family had grown, of course there were a lot of long lost family there too, everyone wanting a bit of what didn't belong to them, shocked when their only child Sam got absolutely everything.

Sam stood remembering Mercy going into him just after the funeral when she finally got a minute to think and asked him about the results of his visit to the doctors "Oh babe I didn't get round to it" he'd said as calm as anything and she blew, she went on for days about it until they finally got back home and went directly to the doctors to sort him out.

"Good job really" he said as he remembered that sad time They'd been in discussed his symptoms, most of which he hadn't told Mercy. She sat open mouthed listening to his catalogue of issues as the Doctor took specimens, bloods, fluids and checked various parts of his body.

"Don't be mad at me babe I really don't need that right now" he'd said when they finally got out of the surgery, Mercy just hugged him

"I'm scared Sam" she finally said

"I don't want to admit it but I think I am too" he finally admitted as they drove home in silence

That week was one to the longest in history as tension built between us, he remembered he was banging around the house pissed off, knowing something was wrong, he'd refused sex with her for the first time ever, she wasn't mad about it but something shifted and that just got him pissed off with himself for causing the shift, but he truly couldn't perform, and finally he knew something was dreadfully wrong.

"Sam stop banging about you are shredding my last nerve" she finally shouted at him banging about in the living room "Look" she said grabbing his hand and pulling him to the couch "We talked about this and we agreed we knew it was going to be nerve racking but we'd keep the lines of communication open, stop banging about and talk to me"

"I take care of my family Mercy, me, not you or the children me" he spat out "I know I forgot to make the appointments but, I also know I made a promise to you that I'd never leave you. This thing, whatever it is that's taking over my body feels like it's going to make me break my promise, I couldn't make love to you the other night, and that pisses me off that you think I don't want you because I do, I don't want you thinking I'm taking our life as some sort of joke"

"I've never called our life a joke Sam" she smiled "You promised me that someday we would have everything we ever wanted marriage, house, yard, children, dog I have everything, we have everything. Together we made this happen , we made our perfect life happen " she smiled "And we're living it as fully as we can, sex isn't everything we are, granted for most of our life it's been a big part of it but babe I love you more, dare I say this " she laughed "More than your dick"

"There I was thinking it took you to heaven every time" he smiled

"Oh it does that alright" she said kissing him "But heaven's also just being here with you babe"

"Your the love of my life you know that right?"

"I know that" she said pointing to herself "But do you know your the love of my life and beyond" she said pointing at him "So whatever this is, it better know it's got a fight on it's hands because I fight dirty" she laughed.

"I will go so far as to chant at the Eywa" he smiled

"Sam" she laughed "You know you're not Panadoran though yeah"

"I'm sure I could get to be an Avatar" he laughed

"I'm sure you could but their Neytiri will not be taming your Ikran Mr, my job" she said as he pulled her in for kiss

After the long wait the results were back and they made the visit to the surgery "Mercy please just let me go in alone, you'll be sitting right there when I get out seriously babe I just need to do this" reluctantly Mercy agreed and sat back down to wait.

Forty excruciating minutes later Sam emerged from the doctors office with a blood drained face, he didn't have to say anything Mercy knew the outcome. God she went hysterical, he remembered as he stood there, she was demanding second, third, fourth opinions saying the tests were wrong everything, I think had she not been who she was the police would have been called to remove her, the only thing left was physical violence by the time Sam finally got her out of the building. About twenty minutes of just sitting in the car passed before she calmed enough to talk without shouting and then the silence came

"Babe what's wrong" he'd asked rolling his eyes for the silly question he'd just asked

"I'm sorry babe, I'm so sorry" she replied

"I love you so much babe but, I'm looking at my life and I'm not ready to leave you right now, seriously I don't feel like this is the end"

"We were meant to be together " She told me and she was right

"I hope this isn't it for us, it's gonna burn me to not see your face every morning babe"

"Don't talk like that babe , you sound as if we're not going to fight this thing "

"I am going to fight it with everything I've got"

"I'd like to think you'd rather be doing that fight with me at your side" she half smiled at him "Let's make a deal?" she'd said

"I don't want to make any promises right now babe "

"Just this one please babe" she begged

"What?"

"Our 60th wedding anniversary you'll give me fireworks, you already promised me that"

"Babe"

"Humour me babe"

He remembered looking into her eyes and seeing every emotion he was feeling at the time, fear, anger, panic, helplessness, but she also had hope in hers and he just couldn't doubt that, he needed someone to have that right now he was having a hard time seeing past this lump in his testicles "Okay I promise" he said kissing her "I love the way you love me babe"

Telling the children was harder than he'd envisaged Maire; or mini Mercy as he often called her, went Diva full throttle a replica of Mercy's blow out in the surgery before bursting into tears and getting on the next flight back home, with family, he couldn't lie he was pleased to see every one of them.

Darrah went Avatar of course, presented with a case of herbal remedies that did different things for the body counteracting one thing or another "So why don't the doctors know about this stuff?" Sam asked as he looked at a bottle of green gunk that Darrah was trying to convince him had come from Eywa

"Let's face it Dad if they admitted you could get this stuff from nature, what job would they have?" he asked

"Point taken but I'm not drinking that son" he laughed as Mercy sat covering her mouth as he shoulders jerked up and down for her concealed laugh making Sam smile

Kayla was just totally horrified that he wasn't in bed being waited on hand and foot "Mom why is Dad on the phone?" she'd asked "Why is he not in bed?" she asked before her Mom could answer "Has he been okayed by the doctor to be up and about?" she carried on "Has he stopped eating that fried chicken of yours"

"Kay let me get a word in" Mercy had finally said

"I'm on my way we'll talk then" she said putting the phone down

"Did that girl just put the phone down on me?" Mercy asked Sam looking at the dead phone in her hand to hear it ring again "It's Kay" she told Sam before answering it

"Hello" Mercy said obviously listening to Kay before she started "You were on speaker so yes your Dad can still talk he's not at deaths door he's got cancer which we are fighting and girl you get that one because I guess you're in shock and stuff, but that's it, card marked"

Their children and friends came to visit regularly and somewhere along the line, through all the prayers, treatments and therapy's his cancer went into remission , they went through every emotion they had together and came out 6 years later with a clear bill on health

 **74 years old**

"Come on Granddad" he heard jerking him out of that thought as he looked up to see Sian calling to him, Gosh the party, he thought to himself as his mind took him back there

It was their what 50th Anniversary and they'd decided to do something low key because they really wanted to go all out for their 60th they were going to go on a cruise or something without the family for once and just chill. They'd had a Turbulent few years what with Sam's cancer, Blaine being crippled with arthritis, Tina becoming wheelchair bound and Jessie's passing they didn't really feel they had anything much to celebrate anyway

"Mom I know it's your wedding anniversary and everything but Dylan's graduation is on the following day and he was kind of hoping you two would be around to see it" Kayla had thrown on them just before they were booking their holiday "Could you change the date?" she asked

"We were literally just about to book so nothing's in stone so, yeah we can do that " Mercy said as Sam nodded agreement

"We'll think of something to do to make your day beautiful" she laughed down the phone "Although how you make beautiful people any more beautiful is beyond me"

"Oh sweet, my beating heart" Sam said holding his heart as he spoke into the phone

 **50th Wedding Anniversary**

So there he was grabbing hold of his granddaughters hand getting out of the limo to get his wife out for this something special the children had planned for them as a world cruise alternative . Camera's flashing all over the place, red carpet "What's going on?" he asked

"Just follow me" Darrah popped up from nowhere saying holding his arm as Sam stood blinded by the cameras clicking

"I'll wait for your Mom if you don't mind" he replied making Darrah stop

"Sorry" he said to his Dad "Excited" he said rubbing his hands together as Sam turned back to the car to help his wife out

As she stepped out of the car the cameras went wild , "Babe I think all this is for you" he said grabbing her hand as she stood out the car straightening up her dress and checking her shoes

"Gosh I didn't know this was happening , how do I look?" she asked him

"Amazing babe, I know" he said wiggling his eyebrows "I'm bias" he laughed making her laugh too

"My word" she said looking at the building "I'll race you to the throne" she laughed "It's like one of those award night things"

He stood remembering the great hall, the noise, seeing so many of Mercy's show business friends dotted around and a hell of a lot of young people , they had a lavish dinner, danced to some really up market performances and then the shock of seeing Kayla, Darrah and Maire come on stage

"What are they doing?" Mercy asked him covering her mouth when she realised the live camera had zoned in on her

"I don't know babe" he said just as shocked as her

"I think we've gone as far as we can without letting Mom and Dad in on this so without further ado " Kayla said zoning in on her parents as did the camera , there was a lengthy speech by the children about their Mom's lifetime achievement, lots of clapping, a good few of her songs were sung by up and coming and very famous artist and then she got a standing ovation. Some time during the night Mercy was asked to go up and sing one of her songs of course she brought it right back to the beginning and sung **'I Look To You' by Whitney Houston** dedicating it to Sam and her and the battle they'd come through, there testimony that God was good, having everyone in tears as she sung

"I'm surprised at how emotional I got then" she said when Sam joined her on the stage at the end of her performance

"I know me too, but you looked great up here, are you sure this is over for you?"

"I'm sure Sam, us time remember" she laughed as the audience clapped standing

It was a long night but a good one, Sam remembered as he stood waiting for his woman to arrive

The next day they slept in Mercy didn't get up until 10am fully rested, he woke up around 11am and was ready for bed again 6 hours later having attended Dylan's graduation ceremony, had drinks and headed back home "Sam are you okay?" she'd asked when she finally went up to bed

"Yeah babe long day yesterday, early start this morning I'm getting old you know?" he laughed

"Yeah" she said unconvinced, on day 2 of the same behaviour she insisted he make that trip to the doctors to humour her

"Okay" he said still wanting sleep, but unwilling to pass the information on to Mercy, for fear of her rushing him to hospital "I'll call tomorrow" he added

"No, I'll call tomorrow" she said as she semi-fell on the couch beside him

"Mercy please don't babe" he said lifting her off him "That..." he didn't finish the sentence remembering he wasn't telling her everything

"What?" she jumped up saying

"I've got a bit of arthritis in my hip babe"

"When did you plan on telling me that?"

"I just did, Babe please I really don't feel good today "

"Right I'm calling the doctor out" she said grabbing the phone to make the call before Sam could say anything he just sat rolling his eyes

The doctor came and confirmed her that he had a touch of arthritis, gave him some pain killers and told them he needed rest, putting Mercy's mind at rest

 **80 years old**

They had a busy few years what with four weddings to take part in, and three more as their friends Grandchildren got married, Tina and Blaine's funerals, Rachael's amputation , everything was either falling apart or getting stronger with nothing in between and now of all things they were planning an 80th birthday party. Small key only the family , Puck & Quinn had come back to America to live because Puck had early stage Alzheimer , Artie was living close by in very up market sheltered accommodation, Kurt was almost a permanent fixture in their house since Blaine passed.

"Announcement"Darrah shouted once everyone was at the BBQ "Attention please everyone , we have a present" he said handing Sam the picture of a scan

"Gosh you two are having more, now?" he asked shocked "Sorry that came out totally wrong"

"It did Dad but, it's not us" Darrah said as Sam looked at Kayla and Maire both shaking their head vigorously telling him not them either "It's RJ and in true family tradition he's calling him SJ in your honour" he said pulling Dylan and Tayor forward. Mercy sat crying

"Beautiful" she said

"Babe can you believe this?" Sam asked her tears in his eyes

 **81 Years Old**

There was so much fussing going on around this new addition to the family everything centred around the arrival of Sam Junior, even I got into it, Sam laughed as he remembered ordering his superhero suits and writing about the whole experience for his New Direction comic. What was actually miraculous was that Sam Junior came out looking too much like Sam Senior, Sam chuckled at the life this young man was destined to have , if it was anything like his he would be a truly happy man

"What time is it" he asked again looking at the door for Mercy to walk in "She's running late, no maybe a minute " he smiled as the moment arrived for her to get to him

 **20th March 11.59am**

 **He stood there smiling remembering the events that had brought him to this day, as he waited patiently**

 **84 Years Old**

Sam stood fidgeting with his tie, rubbing his shoes on the back of his trousers, wishing he'd used the time more productively then standing there daydreaming about times past "Balloons, Flowers, Fireworks, Wine, Food, Water shoot water, I forgot the water" he thought going into panic mode "No worries they can get it on the way" he told himself

The organ started and suddenly she was there coming towards him, led by Darrah as their only son, he looked so proud as did the girls all dressed in purple, the church was dressed in purple and cream and the girls gasped at how beautiful it was when they came into the room and had a cry as their Mother came in behind them

Sam's turn to gasp as Mercy came into view, she past the children and went to stand up front with him, he welcomed her with open arms "You were nearly late" he whispered as the music played

"I was right on time" she giggled "You know me and my entrances, they have to be timed just right" she smiled as everything hushed

"Good afternoon everyone " Maire started "Thank you for coming here today to help us celebrate "Mom, and Dad" on this their 60th Anniversary" she smiled "It's a long time to love someone don't you think?" she asked smiling "It's not going to be a long service, as you all know Mom's all about singing, what you might not know is that Dad used to be all about singing too according to Dad's stories one of their first dates was at a karaoke bar, he had a bet with her and got to choose the next date so he must have been good" she said as everyone laughed Sam and Mercy the hardest

"Superman" Mercy reminded him smiling

"Anyway we promised Dad this would be all about Mom so here goes" Maire said

"So" Kayla interrupted "It's going to be a singing celebration and feel free to join in" she said stepping to the front "I don't sing as well as these two" she said pointing to Maire and Darrah "But I sing, I'm singing the song Mom sung to me every night of my childhood of course she put my name in it" she said smiling at the band for them to start as she sung her version of **'A Mothers Prayer' by K Michelle**

"Beautiful Sis" Darrah said giving her a hug "I think I'm up next" he said looking either side at his sisters before looking at the congregation "Truly" he smiled before carrying on "For all the little things Mom and Dad do for us I wonder how they found the time to be a big R&B Diva and run a multimillion dollar business and still find time to smile, play and sing with us at the end of every day , We're blessed" he said looking at them again. "You guessed it I'm going to sing the song I sung to my Mom every single night of my adolescence , I think singing this to her made me want to be a better person for her, if she was away Dad would bring the phone in and I'd sing my song, so here it is" he said as he started singing a heartfelt rendition of **'A Mother's Love' by Donell Jones** everyone crying by the end of the song

There were a few service song before the main event and the proceedings were finished with Maire taking the stage "Well I don't apologise for anything I'm Daddy's girl with Mom's finely hones edges so yeah sometimes I bite and I definitely fight dirty" she laughed looking at her siblings who were laughing too. "Being in the same industry Mom and I shared a lot of songs , I have no end of favourites most of them hers but today she asked me to sing a song from my heart for her and I have to honour that. I'm glad she asked me that actually because I would have struggled to pick one of the songs we've shared. Our parents are the most gracious, grounded, loyal, loving, lenient, happy, nurturing, fun loving , kind I could go on forever; I know everyone always says their parents were the best whatever and I'm positive they were telling the truth but my truth" she said looking behind her "Sorry our truth is that our parents are the best this world has ever seen so here's to you" she said as she sang her version of **'Goodbye's (The Saddest Word)' by Celine Dion**

"That was beautiful" Mercy said crying into Sam's chest "Gosh I miss them already"

"You can see them any time babe " he assured her

Pretty soon the proceedings finished and like everyone else they stood for the final exit "You stay with me now Mercy, they'll be alright, I have surprises for you it's our 60th Anniversary remember and I promised fireworks" he smiled

"I so missed you Sam" she said hugging him watching as everyone left the church

"You need to meet Heaven" he said taking her with him "I got her to give you until today with the children , I knew you'd need that but, there are so many people waiting to see you"

"Me?" she asked surprised as they walked out of the back of the church and suddenly Sam was gone and she was standing looking as a unfamiliar familiar face

"Hey" she said as if she was greeting her long lost familiar best friend

"Hey" Heaven said back going in for a kiss

"We good?" she asked walking with her

"Are you sure you want to come home with me you can stay if you want?" Heaven said

"I'm.." she said looking back to see everything behind her was gone "What was there?" she asked

"Your life" she replied

"I think I've just said a final goodbye to them ?" she said looking ahead at Sam

"So your willingly coming into the light with me" Heaven informed him

"You sound like poltergeist one of my favourite films come into the light there is peace and serenity in the light" she laughed as Sam smiled as if he could hear their conversation

"There is" Heaven replied smiling "Look" Heaven said pointing to the light ahead of her "There are people waiting for you" she said as the mist cleared and she could see shapes, turning into body's and blurred turning into faces as she saw familiar faces standing smiling at her, Mom's, Dad,s Blaine, Tina and Sam; her smile widened as they all stood clapping her entrance

There were no cautionary messages just hugs and kisses as she went around everyone, eventually getting back to Sam and staying there

"I'm finally home" she said kissing him "I know why you did what you did" she looked at him and said "I was mad but I'm not any more" she smiled

Sam hadn't told her or allowed the medical practitioners to tell her that his caner had come back, he'd battled on with it , trying various medications and treatments to no avail, by the time he was 80 he'd come to terms with the fact he was fighting a losing battle . Mercy brought the arthritis story and he just worked with that. Those last few months he was in agony but he wouldn't put the med bag on, he knew she'd make him make some unrealistic promise about living forever or something and seriously for the pain, he could do without it. When they heard about the pending arrival of his namesake, that gave them a different focus for a while and gave him something to wait for. By the time SJ was Christened he was more than ready to meet his maker, he got the children one by one and got them to start organising stuff. At first they might have thought it was all about their 60th Wedding Anniversary but when he started talking about the future without him in it Darrah picked it up first and he asked them to protect Mom from the reality of the situation .

Then one morning he woke up and seriously, somehow he knew it was his very last day , he ordered breakfast in bed for Mercy and he, called the children round, shuffled out of bed got dressed and took the lift downstairs , he played with SJ for a while spoke to all his Grandchildren individually and had time with his children together and separately . He slept most of the afternoon and after dinner, which he didn't eat, he devoted his evening to Mercy they sat talking and remembering, laughing, singing, kissing and at about 9pm he looked at her tears in his eyes "Mercy thank you for my wonderful life" he'd said

"No thank you" she'd smiled taping him lightly on his chest

"I know you know I'm on my way out and I've not spoken it out because I know you babe but, it's time and I need you to know you're not getting rid of me that easy , I'll be waiting for you" he smiled with tears in his eyes "Because I promised you a forever and you know how I am with promises"

Mercy was crying hard into his chest as he spoke "They have more advanced drugs for arthritis now babe" she finally looked up and said to him

"The cancers back babe, it's been back for a while I've tried everything, but I'm not winning this time" he said as Mercy lifted off him to look at him not believing what she was hearing

"What are you telling me Sam"

"That it's time babe"

"Time for what?" she asked "You are not talking about leaving me because you said you wouldn't, you promised " she cried looking into his eyes only to see he wasn't even joking, he didn't say anything "This is happening isn't it?" she asked as he nodded a yes "When did it come back?"

"I knew after Dylan's graduation, I started treatment and everything then it wasn't until Darrah announced SJ's conception that I knew everything had failed

"And you give me how long, what about the children?" she asked

"The children know, I needed them to be prepared to look after you"

"Why do you never put yourself first in anything even death" she shouted

"Because you come first babe you always have always will"

"I love you Sam and I know I'm being selfish right now but I need more time with you"

"Babe I told you this thing is forever so, I'll be waiting for you on the other side seriously, whatever it looks like I'll be waiting" he smiled

That night Mercy fell asleep next to him, he didn't wake up the next morning , of course the children did their best to keep her focused , and she loved them with all her heart but they weren't Sam's arms, his kisses , his hugs , his smile , his body laying next to hers, the loneliness was the worst. Everyone was surprised she'd lasted that 14 months, she did try to be strong but her love for Sam overcame everything and one day she called her children in told them her feelings, put her house in order and literally just sat waiting to be reunited, 2 months later she fell asleep with a picture of them at their wedding on her chest and never woke up again.

When death finally happened she panicked about someone to look after the children, and stuck to them like glue but then she walked into that Church behind her coffin and eventually looked up and saw Sam and she knew she was in heaven and suddenly her heart was healed , his arms were there for her again and now she was standing here in where "Sam where are we?" she asked

"Heaven babe , we're in heaven"

"Sing it out baby Girl " he Dad said and suddenly there was a arena of people all sitting, eating and clapping waiting for her to perform

"You're a star here too" Sam smiled as he gave her a Microphone

"Hello everyone" she smiled "I want to sing this song for my birth or re-birth should I say, and it fits my journey to where I am right now" she smiled at Sam as the music started and she started singing her rendition of **'Where Do Broken Hearts Go' by Whitney Houston**

"I told you I'd love you forever babe" he said as he hugged her at the end of her song "Look" he said pointing behind her as she witnessed the biggest fireworks display she'd ever seen ending with him kissing her forehead

"I think we can do better than a forehead kiss for the girl who rolled you out the road and gave you the kiss of life don't you?" she said going in for a hug and taking her kiss "You look like 22 again" she laughed when she let him go

"I felt like 22 when you said that but we can be any age we want up here babe" he laughed "What am I doing standing here getting me a boner in front of all these damn people" he smiled saying to a grinning Mercy

"Do we get our own place up here?" she asked looking around

"We will" Sam said looking behind her as she spun to see what he was looking at, she saw the children standing at their grave

"I can feel them" Kayla said "Lots of PDA going on" they all laughed "See you two soon" she said

"Not too soon" Sam replied

"Grandpa Sam said not too soon" SJ said

"He heard you" Mercy said smiling as they walked off into the light

THE END


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